4 meanings, 5 uses
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1 —1 use as in:
depart directly
Definition
without delay, or in the quickest manner, or without going somewhere else first
- I drove from the station directly to Gatsby's house and my rushing anxiously up the front steps was the first thing that alarmed any one.p. 161.9
directly = straight (without delay or interruption)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in The Great Gatsby.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
2 —1 use as in:
directly above; or buy direct from
Definition
straight (exactly where stated); or without involvement of anything in between
The exact meaning of this sense of direct is subject to its context. For example:
- "The road runs directly to Las Vegas." — straight (without varying from a straight line)
- "It was a direct hit." — exact
- "The plant is in direct sunlight." — unobstructed (without anything in between)
- "She wants a direct meeting with him." — personal (without other people in between)
- "She paid direct attention to what he was reading." — close
- "a direct gaze" — straight, steady, or focused—not a brief glance taken while generally looking at other things; not a sideways look
- His eyes, meanwhile, roved very slowly all around the room — he completed the arc by turning to inspect the people directly behind.p. 71.4
directly = close (without anything in between)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in The Great Gatsby.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
3 —1 use as in:
was direct in my instructions
Definition
straightforward (uncomplicated or simple — perhaps also indicating openness and honesty)
- It was indirectly due to Cody that Gatsby drank so little.p. 100.8
indirectly = in a complicated, non-obvious manner
(Editor's note: The prefix "in-" in indirectly means not and reverses the meaning of directly. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.)
(Editor's note: The prefix "in-" in indirectly means not and reverses the meaning of directly. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in The Great Gatsby.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
4 —2 uses as in:
directed the movie
Definition
supervise, control, or to be in charge of
- Almost the last thing I remember was standing with Daisy and watching the moving-picture director and his Star.p. 106.9
director = person in charge of making a film
(editor's note: The suffix "-or" often converts a verb to a noun that means "a person who." This is the pattern you see in words like actor, editor, and visitor.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-or" often converts a verb to a noun that means "a person who." This is the pattern you see in words like actor, editor, and visitor.)
- The man bending over her is her director.p. 105.1
director = person in charge
(editor's note: The suffix "-or" often converts a verb to a noun that means "a person who." This is the pattern you see in words like actor, editor, and visitor.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-or" often converts a verb to a noun that means "a person who." This is the pattern you see in words like actor, editor, and visitor.)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in The Great Gatsby.
Typical Usage
(best examples)